Thursday, November 15, sees the voting for 41 police and crime commissioners (PCCs) across England and Wales. Electing one for Sussex has proved a point of debate for readers of The Argus I am disgusted by the sham election for police and crime commissioner (PCC).

It is not democratic – anyone who wants to run for the post has to find £5,000.

It’s a cosy carve- up between the Conservatives and Labour, with independents cold-shouldered.

I have received no information to date. Not surprisingly the Electoral Reform Society has predicted a bare 18% turnout as a result.

Too little, too late. Are we expected to vote with no idea about the role or the candidates?

It’s the kind of bogus election the North Koreans might recognise.

The Government has to take responsibility for this undemocratic mess: another own goal, something nobody wanted, that won’t work, and which reeks of privileged inner circles at work.

I have never missed a vote in my life, but I won’t vote for this dog’s mess.

Hopefully, if barely 5% of the public vote, this crass idea will be dropped.

Rosemary Rimmer-Clay, St George’s Mews, Brighton

This would seem to be a timely moment to write to you about today’s elections for PCCs.

I intend to spoil my voting paper for the reasons listed below, and write on it this message: “I am deliberately spoiling my voting paper because this whole system is undemocratic, flawed and should not be allowed to continue.”

The introduction of the PCC scheme will interfere with the democratic processes already in place in the UK.

Vesting so much power in only one person is dangerous.

Only displaying information about candidates on the internet is divisive and should provide ample grounds for appeals about the authenticity of the election.

The whole process has become party-politicised.

Won’t the election be invalidated if insufficient people vote?

And, by the way, it is costing us £75 million.

Nick Ashwell, address supplied

Apart from the fact I have reservations concerning the wording on the ballot paper, which is misleading, I doubt if many people are aware that a supplementary voting system has been adopted.

I gather this system is used to elect the Mayor of London and other elected mayors in England and Wales. So who decided it should apply to the appointment of PCCs?

While agreeing there is a need to appoint individuals outside the police to scrutinise their work, it seems to me they should not be political appointees.

To whom will they be accountable? The electorate?

Isn’t there a danger of the commissioners of today becoming the commissars of tomorrow?

There is another problem: tactical voting. It is a practice often adopted by a number of parties.

Given that the chances of getting a clear majority on the first vote are improbable, we could end up with a doubtful result.

Neil Kelly, Tredcroft Road, Hove

There are many railway stations in Sussex where commuters return after dark.

Many of these stations are unstaffed and the car parks are poorly lit.

I have written to the various candidates for Sussex PCC and said they should make it a priority that uniformed officers make a point of visiting these stations on a regular basis to give a feeling of security to passengers.

It would also be helpful that British Transport Police makes its presence known on rail services late at night to and from Brighton on Friday and Saturday evenings.

James Birkett, Powis Square, Brighton

What on earth is going on with these so-called police elections?

1 Why have we no information about the election?

2 Why is it being held?

3 Why have we no information about any of the candidates?

4 Why are we spending on this when we are cutting back?

5 Have any of the candidates ever been police officers?

6 How many people are likely to turn out for this fiasco?

Matthew Allen, Bedford Square, Brighton

Still confused?

There are five candidates for the Sussex post of police and crime commissioner: Tony Armstrong (UKIP), Katy Bourne (Conservative), Godfrey Daniel (Labour), David Rogers (LibDem) and Ian Chisnall (running as an independent candidate).

The supplementary vote system, currently used to elect mayors, will be used. If you choose to vote, you can indicate first and second preferences from the candidates. If no candidate has half of the first preference votes, the two highest-scoring candidates are awarded the second preference votes from the ballots which lost the first round.

Polling stations are open on November 15, 2012, from 7am until 10pm across Sussex.

For more information, click here.